DEAR HARRIETTE: A young lady has been interning with me for a month or so. She has been consistent in some areas and flaky in others. My job is to teach her how to be professional and what she can learn about my industry. She is a college student, and now that her classes are all remote, she is freaking out. She has missed all of the deadlines I have given her for projects. I just heard from her that she feels overwhelmed because her schedule has changed so much. Her tone was worrisome. On one hand, I am annoyed that she has dropped the ball on things she agreed to do. On the other hand, I feel like I need to check in on her mental health. But since we cannot be together, I’m not sure what to do. -- Helping the Intern

DEAR HELPING THE INTERN: Start by sending her a note acknowledging what she has told you she is feeling. Forgive her for not meeting your deadline, and ask her to schedule a time when you can talk “face to face.” Use FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or some other form of technology to have a video conference. In as calm and welcoming a tone as possible, invite her to tell you what’s going on in her life. Ask how her classes are going and if she has good relationships with her professors. Ask her what she needs in order to feel better. Sometimes just having someone to talk to can be helpful. Learn about her support system. Does she talk to her parents or close friends?

Finally, give her a break with your responsibilities. Especially since she isn’t doing the work anyway, take the burden off her shoulders. Let her know she can come back to work after things settle down. If you have her parents’ information, reach out to them to express your concern about their daughter’s well-being.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Now that it feels like we have who-knows-how-long to live, I wonder if I should take a chance and tell my neighbor how much I like him. I am a pretty shy person, so I have never spoken up. But I see this man most days because we live in the same building. He is so nice and thoughtful. He is single and mostly keeps to himself. Whenever we see each other, he goes out of his way to talk to me. I really like him a lot. I feel like now could be a good time to say something, but I have no idea what to say. -- Tongue Tied

DEAR TONGUE TIED: Given that everybody is stuck at home and he lives in your building, why not invite him over for dinner? Be mindful of keeping social distance if you do, but you may be able to sit across from each other at your dining table. Instead of professing your love for him, just talk with each other over an extended period of time. That overture of the invitation should be enough for him to know that you like him. See how things unfold from there.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m getting more and more scared. I learned that several people who live in my apartment complex have come down with COVID-19, and two have died. I have been following all of the rules, staying inside and going out only to get food and medicine. I even stopped taking walks in the neighborhood because I am afraid of walking by someone and breathing in their air.

Now I wonder if I can even get on the elevator in my building safely. I see that the maintenance people are scrubbing the building all the time, but if you look at the news, it feels like the world is coming to an end. What can I do to stay safe and sane? -- Living During COVID Times

DEAR LIVING DURING COVID TIMES: As our world turns upside down, most of us are feeling extra stress. The fact that you are living in a building where people have died exacerbates that stress because the danger feels so close.

Instead of being overcome by fear, though, take extra precautions when you absolutely have to go out. Cover your face. If you have a face mask, use that; otherwise, use a scarf that you keep on the entire time you are outside -- including in your elevator. Wear plastic or rubber gloves, if you have them. Try not to touch anything with your hands, even with gloves on. Don’t talk to people. Stay focused on what you have to do, and keep your distance -- at least 6 feet from away from other people.

Remember to take a moment to look at the sky and express gratitude for being alive and well in each moment. Gratitude can soften your worries. Disease has always been in the world. How we care for ourselves in this difficult time -- or any other -- is what matters. Be cautious, but also remain optimistic.

For safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, read cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/essential-goods-services.html.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have never worked as much as I am now -- even though I’m working from home. My teenage daughter tried to talk to me yesterday, and we couldn’t say a word to each other until dinnertime because I was on the phone every minute all day long. I even had to stay on my phone -- on mute! -- when I had to go to the bathroom. This is crazy. I need to manage my time better. I want to be there for my daughter and make time for basic necessities as I work. I’m nervous about establishing boundaries, though, because I don’t want my boss to think that I am slacking. What can I do? -- Boundaries

DEAR BOUNDARIES: Take a step back and think about how you worked before this pandemic. When did you take breaks? What did you do when your daughter needed you in the past? What was your rhythm? Now, write out your daily schedule by the hour, including meetings and phone calls. Incorporate coffee breaks and bathroom breaks into the schedule. Write in a time each day that is dedicated to your daughter. If she is awake, it can be before your workday starts. If not, it can be at your lunch break. Discuss it with her so she knows when your shared time will be. Then do your best to honor that.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My mom lives in an assisted-living community, and they are all shut down now. We can’t visit, and my mom says she’s bored out of her mind. I get that. My family and I feel the same way. What I learned, though, is that my mom has been going to town buying all kinds of unnecessary stuff on QVC and HSN. I pay her bills, and I just got an alert that she had spent beyond her credit limit. I am mortified. On top of everything else, now I have a huge bill to pay for stuff she doesn’t need. How can I get my mom to stop shopping? -- Daily Fix

DEAR DAILY FIX: You need to have a heart-to-heart with your mother. Tell her the truth: She has been overspending on her TV purchases, and you do not have the money to pay for the things she has bought. Tell her that the credit card company has called to alert you of her purchases. Ask her to stop.

More important, though, is for you to call the credit card company and have her spending frozen for now. You can request the freeze without damaging your credit. What will happen when your mother tries to make a purchase next is that she will be denied. This will be disappointing to her but important for you to manage your budget.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I have been living it up since we have been quarantined, and I think it’s getting out of control. Starting early in the morning, he sits around sipping a beer and eating junk food. Just about every day I join him for a couple -- or more -- drinks. It’s not smart. I can see that we have gained weight, but more than that, it’s awful to be filling our bodies with so much bad stuff. It’s like party central for us, even though I’m still working. My husband got laid off, and he seems to have let himself go.

I am worried about us. If we are home too much longer, who knows what’s going to happen to us? I feel like we really have to stop. How can we break this habit? It has become a routine. -- Cold Turkey

DEAR COLD TURKEY: Invite your husband to quit drinking and eating poorly with you. Point out the patterns that you two have been falling into over the past few weeks. Tell him you are worried about your health and well-being. Ask him to join you in cleaning up your act.

Regardless of whether or not he joins you, you can decide to stop drinking and make smarter choices. And you don’t have to do it alone; Alcoholics Anonymous offers free online meetings for people who want support as they get sober. To find a meeting, go to aa-intergroup.org.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)